Newsletter title

November 2011

In This Edition

Cloudless Sulphur, left; Orange Sulphur, right: by George Pierson, 15 Oct 2011.

Cloudless Sulphur, left; Orange Sulphur, right: by George Pierson, 15 October 2011.

Christmas Bird Count

—Andrew Donovan-Shead

Don Wolfe, Senior Biologist at the Sutton Avian Research Center, has announced the date of the Christmas Bird Count for Monday, 2 January 2012 at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Anyone with an interest in birds is welcome to participate. If you are inexperienced then you will be placed with an experienced birder. Don can be reached by email at dwolfe@ou.edu or by telephone at 918-336-7778.

Docent Recognition Luncheon, Part II

—Andrew Donovan-Shead

Openshot proved to be the best non-linear video editor available to me as a user of the Linux operating system. Exceeding Vimeo’s free-loader limit with the video of Anita’s remarks prevented me from uploading the video of Harvey Payne’s speech made at the Docent Recognition Luncheon last month, freeing me from the pressure of a deadline, thereby giving me time to read through the Openshot user’s manual. Editing the video was very easy; I was able to produce the result you can see here in less than an hour.

As I mentioned last month, I had to excise a section unsuitable for public consumption. Harvey spoke about some ongoing Nature Conservancy business that has a beneficial effect on the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Posting the video to Vimeo makes it public, available to anyone not just docents; also, there are a number of non-docents in the distribution list of the Docent News. When I am on duty at the Visitor’s Center and encounter persons who show an above average interest in the Preserve and The Nature Conservancy, I ask them if they would like to receive the Docent News, adding their email to the distribution when they choose to give it to me.

As docents, our primary rôle is to expound upon the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve to visitors; that’s what being a docent means. A docent is one who knows and is authorized to speak or lecture on a subject. We become docents when we complete docent training and remain docents through our annual reorientation events that keep us informed about Preserve business. Actually, we remain docents as long as we sign the annual liability release form.

By being a docent you are performing a valuable service to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, supporting the work of The Nature Conservancy; it is enough. But, if you want to be more involved then that is possible too. We docents are a group of people from many different backgrounds who share a common interest. We are a collection of many different skills. Anita Springer has the energy, organizational skills, and personality that make her a good leader of the group. Nicholas Del Grosso is a capable writer with an interest in birds that he has been willing to share with us these past months. George Pierson is interested in photography and has the skills necessary to make the docent web-site possible; many of the excellent pictures are by George. Van Vives is interested in flowers and has done a lot work sharing his interest with us through his articles in the newsletter and through the identification pictures that are available on the table in the Visitor’s Center. I do the newsletter because I know that I am a suitable person for the job; I like words and I like the challenge of making information understandable to readers who are not specialists; and I like the technical challenge of electronic presentation — I learned the eXtended Hyper-Text Markup Language (XHTML) in order to put the newsletter on-line, so that you can read it with a web-browser. The persons mentioned here are just a few of many who have passed through the docent program or who remain actively involved.

My point is that if you have skills or interests that go beyond being a regular docent, and the time, then be encouraged to pursue those interests by wielding those skills with which you are endowed and share the results with us in the newsletter. In doing articles for the newsletter, I feel it important to know how things are connected: the Monarch is a good example in that it only likes the butterfly milkweed which is found mainly on the preserve. The Prairie Chicken is another species that thrives in environmentally diverse conditions. Overall, I think it is important to examine the relationships between various lifeforms and the environment in which they thrive? Ultimately, it is the interconnecting links that are important, that show why biodiversity is a good thing. Answering these questions shows why we should conserve and promote environmental health. It is easier to support the environment when it is clear why doing so is important; if we can get that message across to the General Public, then nurturing the environment will become much easier.

Special Visitors: Charles & Pat Smith

—Rebecca Renfro

Today we traveled miles to be \ Where the tall grass waves like a distant sea, begins a poem written several years ago by Charles Smith. October 1, 2011 Charles and Pat, his wife of 37 years, traveled to once again enjoy the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. It was my good fortune to be the docent at the visitor’s center that day. Charles and Pat made sure to come to visit on their way home to Mulberry, Arkansas. They were generous in their praise for The Nature Conservancy’s efforts at restoring some of the native prairie. Charles and Pat are both retired, he from law enforcement and she from Wal-Mart. They said that for health reasons this is probably their last trip to the prairie. When he told me about the poem he had written I asked him to send it to me so I could share it with you. I explained how we docents appreciate knowing about others love for the prairie. Charles sent me a copy of the poem that is reproduced below for your pleasure.

Tall Grass Prairie

—Charles Smith, Mulberry, Arkansas

Today we traveled miles to be
Where the tall grass waves like a distant sea
As I stood and looked my mind went back
To when the land with buffalo was black

To the days when tall grass filled the land
And Indians rode in hunting bands
Those were the days before cattle drives
And long before oil wells had arrived

If I had lived in those days gone by
I guess I too would have had to try
I’d have come with my family gathered around
To scrape a living from this ground

I could stand and criticize
But that would really not be wise
For it was men like me with plow and gun
That caused this land to come undone

Now others must try with all their might
To put the prairie back just right
The buffalo will come back to this land
And God’s wild flowers again will stand

But even knowing what I know now
I would still have come with gun and plow
For like those before I understand
The hidden magic of prairie land

Wild Turkey, Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris

—Nicholas Del Grosso

Wild Turkey.

November conjures up images of pumpkin pies, sausage and sage dressing, cranberry sauce and one of America’s most famous birds. Just as the turkey is the center piece of every Thanksgiving Dinner, it was also one of the most important food animals for North Americans. In fact the Aztecs had domesticated the turkey some 2000 years prior to the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors. In the early 1500s not only did the Spanish take Aztec gold back to Spain, they also introduced the turkey to Europe. In a truly bizarre circumstance the turkey was so successfully domesticated in Europe that English colonists brought it back to America when they settled on the Atlantic Coast.

The Wild Turkey is like no other bird. It is a large, bronze colored, ground-dwelling bird. It has powerful long legs and is a strong flyer. The Males have a bare blue-gray head with pink wattles which turn scarlet when he is displaying for females. also the male can sport a long feather beard on its breast. A large male can weigh between 25 to 27 pounds. The female is somewhat smaller and its head is covered with small feathers.

The Turkey’s comeback in Oklahoma is a modern wildlife management success storey. Oklahoma was part of the original range of the Wild Turkey but by 1920 the bird was absent from most of the state. In 1941 a statewide survey was conducted in Oklahoma and only 220 birds were documented in six southeastern counties. Wild Turkey reintroduction programs began in earnest in the 1960s. Very little research had been conducted on the habitat needs and the social behavior of the Wild Turkey prior to the initial reintroduction efforts. These initial attempts to restock the Wild Turkey depended upon game-farm or pen-raised turkeys. These attempts failed because these animals were deprived of normal parental influence, leaving them without the necessary social behavior and survival skills necessary to exist in the wild. This failed attempt which depended upon mass produced pen-raised birds delayed the Wild Turkey comeback by two decades. Then in 1979 biologists switched tactics. They captured adult Wild Turkey and released them into areas with suitable habitat. With this switch in tactics the Wild Turkey population roared back. Today we have breeding populations across the state.

In Oklahoma there are two subspecies of Wild Turkey. The western part of the state is populated by the Rio Grande Wild Turkey, while the Eastern part has the Eastern Wild Turkey. At the Tallgrass Prairie Eastern Wild Turkeys consistently show up on the Christmas Bird Count. The Wild Turkey is a bird of the grasslands and open forest and the habitat at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is conducive to a healthy turkey population. I have seen or heard turkey all across the Preserve. You can sit on the front porch of the visitor center and hear them gobble early in the morning. I have found turkey feathers under the large burr oak at the picnic area, where they often take dust baths. I have seen large flocks of turkey foraging for mast in the blackjack oaks behind the research center. It does not take a lot of effort to find these birds if you search the right habitat.

Wild Turkey Graphic.

Wild Turkeys are powerful runners, as they sprint through the woods they look like miniature Ostriches. But as impressive as their running is, their flight is breath-taking. To see a 25 pound bird lift straight up in the air, hover for a split second and zip away is awe inspiring.

Turkeys feed on seeds, acorns, leaves, grains, berries and insects. Random fire rotation benefits the Turkey by providing contiguous burned and unburned areas to forage and hide in.

Turkeys breed from April to August. They are polygamous. A male will collect a harem of up to 20 hens. He will defend his harem against all comers. When gathering his harem in the spring a male will call and display. He will fan his tail holding it up vertically and lower his wings so the tips drag the ground. This is an exciting spectacle and often the male is so engaged that he ignores his surroundings.

During the winter it is not uncommon for Turkeys to gather in large groups. They spend their days socializing and foraging and their nights roosting in trees.

Females usually lay 4-17 eggs in a shallow ground depression lined with leaves. After hatching, though the hen will feed her poults for a few days, they learn to forage for themselves very quickly. The hen plays an important role in the young poults life. She teaches the young poults how to respond to predators and other dangers. But more importantly she socializes the poults by teaching them vocalizations and how to flock. She introduces them to their home range and shows them what to eat. The male takes no part in raising the brood. During the late spring and summer mother/child flocks are formed that can include dozens of birds. The Turkey is a fascinating bird and one that has adapted well in Oklahoma. The Breeding Bird Survey has documented an 11-percent per year increase. These increases are the result of intense wildlife management, so it appears we will be able to enjoy this bird for years to come.

Click on this link to hear a turkey gobble.

Bison Roundup

—Andrew Donovan-Shead

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, 5 November 2011, about a dozen docents forgathered at the Visitor’s Center. From there we followed Ann Whitehorn in a convoy to the corrals where we observed the cowboys in process of administering the annual checkup to the herd. Each year, at roundup time, the Preserve hires additional day labor to augment the permanent staff. The schedule is as listed here:

You can get a idea of the event by watching the video presentation in the window to the right; click on the arrow head. It is very stressful to the animals and hard work for the cowboys and gals. Notice the heavy-duty construction of the corrals and chutes, much heavier than what is used for cattle. The crew exhibited excellent teamwork that made the operation appear to run with smooth efficiency. There are no natural predators to the herd, like bears or wolves, so Preserve staff cull the herd and administer veterinarian checks to insure that each animal is healthy and free of disease. Since bison are prey to the same diseases as cattle, it is imperative that the Preserve demonstrate that the herd is free of infection for the benefit of its cattle ranching neighbors. The herd endures roundup once each year; on occasion, when there is an outbreak of disease in the region, a special roundup will be invoked to verify that the herd is free of disease.

Culled animals are held in the nearby Mary L pasture where they are given supplemental feed to improve each animal’s weight and corresponding price at live auction. Proceeds from the annual sale is a significant contribution to Preserve operating income.

Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus

—George Pierson

Each spring in Oklahoma brings a migration of monarch butterflies from overwintering sites in Northern Mexico and the Southern United States. During the migration, succeeding generations move further and further north until fall. The last generation of summer enters a non-reproductive phase known as diapause, which allows them to live long enough to migrate back to their overwintering sites. In spring the overwintering adults move north to find milkweed to lay the eggs containing the next generation. Over the course of a year monarchs range from Northern South America to Southern Canada, with occasional sightings around the globe.

Female Monarch Butterfly by George Pierson.

The monarch’s bright orange color and large size (wingspan is 3.5 to 4 inches) make them one of the most recognized butterflies. Looks can be deceiving however. Monarch caterpillars feed on milkweed species which contain toxins. These make the adults distasteful to predators who tend to avoid monarchs. Other species have evolved to resemble the monarch to benefit from this same protection. In this area the most notable mimic is the viceroy; it is a smaller butterfly (wingspan 2.5 to 3 inches) and can be distinguished from the monarch by a black line that divides the hindwing fore and aft; the monarch also has white spots on it’s head and thorax that the viceroy lacks.

Viceroy Butterfly by George Pierson.

Because of the eating habits of the caterpillars and the adult butterflies, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is an ideal habitat along the migration path. Female monarchs lay their eggs on species of milkweeds, which are abundant on the preserve. Adults forage for nectar on many of the flowering plants native to the tallgrass prairie. These include thistles, milkweeds, asters, joe-pye weed, ironweed, purple coneflower and others common to the tallgrass prairie. Most butterflies require specific plants to reproduce and good sources of nectar. Sites such as the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve that preserve those habitats will help ensure the survival of the monarch as well as other species of butterflies. Currently, there have been ninety three species of butterfly observed on the preserve. Lists of plant and animal species observed on The Nature Conservancy’s Oklahoma preserves can be found on the Tallgrass Docent Program website: http://www.oklanature.com/docent/docent_species.html.

Visitor Count

—Iris McPherson

There were 494 people from 31 states (480) and 5 countries (14) who signed in during September. There were 297 from Oklahoma, and the next highest states were North Carolina (26), Kansas (19) and Florida, Texas and Virginia (12 each).

The history of visitor counts for September is shown below:

Numbers are picking up again, now that the weather is much more pleasant. Keep up the good work getting people to sign the visitor’s register.

Docent Coverage Of Season Days

—Andrew Donovan-Shead

We are having an amazing year with yet another month with 100-percent coverage of the Visitor’s Center. Very well done! Are we going to continue doing so through November and December?

Docent Coverage of Season Days

 

Other Places to Visit

Here we provide some links to other places worth visiting.

Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Visitor’s Center Latitude & Longitude

Here is the latitude and longitude of the Visitor’s Center that you can give to visitors for entry into their GPS navigation device.

Kiosk Maintenance

The manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the touch-screen recommend use of a soft dry cloth only. This proved inadequate for smeared fingerprints. Soft-paper kitchen towels work well, slightly damp with a small drop of soft handsoap. Application of a dry kichen towel removes any residual moisture.

Over time, a matter of several weeks continuous operation, I have noticed that calibration of the touch-screen drifts away from the initial set-point. If you notice that the cursor isn’t under your finger when you touch the screen then restart the kiosk by unplugging it from the wall, waiting a few moments and then re-inserting the power plug. It will restart and recalibrate.

This link points to the complete Kiosk Maintenance Manual.

Back Issues

Some printed back issues of the Docent Newsletter, to February 2009, can be found in the two green and one blue-black zip-binders, stored in the Perspex rack by the file cabinet in the office of the Visitor’s Center.

All back issues are available electronically via the links shown below. All newsletters prior to December 2007 are available in Portable Document Format (PDF), which means that you will need Adobe Reader installed on your computer to read these files. All newsletters from December 2007 onwards are in HTML format that is easily read using your web-browser.

2011January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December—2011
2010January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2010
2009January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2009
2008January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2008
2007January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2007
2006—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2006
2005January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2005
2004—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2004
2003—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December—2003
2002—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2002
2001January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2001
2000January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December2000
1999January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December1999
1998January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December1998
1997January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December1997
1996—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December1996
1995—January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December1995

Selected Topics Index

This persistent index of selected topics should make finding articles of interest easier. The list will grow as I move further into the past and it will grow as I add interesting topics from each new newsletter. Iris McPherson lent me the paper copies of the newsletter from the very early years of the docent program; I ran them through a scanner equipped with a document feeder, saving them as PDF files, then added them to Back Issues section above. Let me know of any dead links that you discover. Also, please lend me any paper copies of the newsletter that are missing so that I can scan and add them to the list of back issues.

Newsletter Publication

Deadline for submission of articles for inclusion in the newsletter is the 10th of each month. Publication date is on the 15th. All docents, Nature Conservancy staff, university scientists, philosophers, and historians are welcome to submit articles and pictures about the various preserves in Oklahoma, but of course the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in particular.